Ms D’AMBROSIO (Mill Park—Minister for Energy, Minister for Environment and Climate Action, Minister for Solar Homes) (09:41): Only last month I stood in this house and paid tribute to Steve Dimos, a friend and long-serving ALP member in my area, who, sadly, passed away on 11 June. I am again standing here and this time to remember his brother, Mick, who passed away on 19 July this year. Mick was a stalwart of the ALP and worked on every campaign for every member of the Mill Park and Thomastown state electorates and the Scullin federal electorate. One of his proudest moments was when he was awarded the 40-year life membership medallion by then Premier Steve Bracks in May 2002. The week before the 2001 federal election Mick suffered a minor stroke, yet he still did his letterboxing, handed out on election day and ferried people to and from polling booths. He also voted three days before the election—‘to make sure my vote was recorded in case of my untimely death!’, he said. He was very active in his local Macedonian community and loved volunteering at his Epping church, helping to dig the foundations throughout the building process and then when he attended the many events at the Epping seniors group in the church hall.
He endured some heartbreaking tragedies in his life. He lost his young wife, Stella, in a car accident in the early 1970s and then his youngest son, Andrew, in an industrial accident. He took great pride in his son, Steven, and his family, and he loved his grandchildren and great-grandchildren and regretted not being able to spend more time with them when his health started to deteriorate. Mick loved telling stories of what happened in his day, the good and the bad. He was a wise, kind, thoughtful and patient man, always ready with a smile, a shake of the hand and a pat on the back. Mick and Steve were always together. Rest in peace, Vlado. You will be missed.
Hansard Link: Mick Dimos